The Congressional Conference Committee which will consider a possible NLS
funding increase will meet on Wednesday September 13. Immediate action is
needed.
David Andrews
ACTION ALERT ON LIBRARY APPROPRIATIONS
DATE: September 15, 1997
FROM: James Gashel
RE: Upcoming action by Senate and House conferees
This notice (which is also available electronically at
"http://www.nfb.org/legslatn.htm") is provided to request action
in support of funds for the Books for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped program of the Library of Congress, known as the NLS
program.
Communications to support an increase in the appropriation
for the books for the blind program should be directed to the
Senators and House members who will serve as conferees on the
bill--H.R. 2209--to appropriate funds for activities of the
legislative branch including the Library of Congress. Contact
information for the conferees is provided at the end of this
notice. Also, any member of the Senate or House, in addition to
the conferees, should be contacted and asked to help.
The amount appropriated to NLS has a direct impact on the
number and variety of books produced in Braille and sound-
recorded formats. It also affects the quality of the service.
The present issue which the conferees will resolve is whether or
not to appropriate money for replacement of aging and obsolete
play-back machines. The machines are the infrastructure of the
program. A decision to direct funds to meet other needs outside
of the NLS program would be a decision to permit the further
deterioration of the machine supply. This would definitely
sacrifice the quality of the program.
The conferees for the legislative branch appropriations bill
are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, September 17. Therefore,
every effort should be made to communicate with them as well as
with other members of Congress (House and Senate) before that
time. As the bill now stands, the amount approved for the NLS by
the Senate is $47,870 million. The amount approved by the House
is $45,936 million. Therefore, almost $2 million is at stake in
Wednesday's meeting of the conferees.
The contact information follows:
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SUBCOMMITTEE
Note: The Senators on the list below appear in order of their
subcommittee ranking. The chairman and ranking minority member
of the full committee are ex-officio members of all
subcommittees. Therefore, they are shown as such on this list.
Their position on the full committee can significantly influence
subcommittee action in many circumstances.
MAJORITY
Robert F. Bennett, UT, Chairman
202-224-5444 - voice
202-224-4908 - fax
Christine Ciccone, STAFF ASST.
Ted Stevens, AK
202-224-3004 - voice
202-224-2354 - fax
Steven J. Cortese, STAFF ASST.
Larry E. Craig-ID
202-224-2752 - voice
202-228-1067 - fax
Brooke M. Roberts - STAFF ASST.
MINORITY
Byron L. Dorgan, ND, Ranking Minority Member
202-224-2551 - voice
202-224-1193 - fax
James H. English - STAFF ASST.
Barbara Boxer-CA
202-224-3553 - voice
202-228-4056 - fax
Kate O'Malley - STAFF ASST.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Thad Cochran, MS
202-224-5054 - voice
202-224-9450 - fax
Christine Ciccone, STAFF ASST.
Robert Byrd, WV, full committee, Ranking Minority Member
202-224-3954 - voice
202-224-8070 - fax
James H. English - STAFF ASST.
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SUBCOMMITTEE
Note: The members of the House on the list below appear in order
of their subcommittee ranking. The chairman and ranking minority
member of the full committee are ex-officio members of all
subcommittees. Therefore, they are shown as such on this list.
Their position on the full committee can significantly influence
subcommittee action in many circumstances.
MAJORITY
James T. Walsh, NY, Chairman
202-225-3701 - voice
202-225-4042 - fax
Ed Lombard - STAFF ASST.
C. W. Bill Young, FL
202-225-5961 - voice
202-225-9764 - fax
Douglas Gregory - STAFF ASST.
Randy (Duke) Cunningham, CA
202-225-5452 - voice
202-225-2558 - fax
Frank Purcell - STAFF ASST.
Zach Wamp, TN
202-225-3271 - voice
202-225-3494 - fax
Claire McVey - STAFF ASST.
Tom Latham, IA
202-225-5476 - voice
202-225-3301 - fax
Paul Zurawski- STAFF ASST.
MINORITY
Jose E. Serrano, NY, Ranking Minority Member
202-225-4361 - voice
202-225-6001 - fax
Lucy Hand - STAFF ASST.
Vic Fazio, CA
202-225-5716 - voice
202-225-5141 - fax
Don DeArmon - STAFF ASST.
Marcy Kaptur, OH
202-225-4146 - voice
202-225-7711 - fax
Susan Role - STAFF ASST.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Bob Livingston, LA, full committee, Chairman
202-225-3015 - voice
202-225-0739 - fax
Ed Lombard - STAFF ASST.
David Obey, WI, full committee, Ranking Minority Member
202-225-3365 - voice
202-225-9476 - fax
Scott Lilly - STAFF ASST.
David Andrews (dandrews@visi.com)
or BBS: (telnet to nfbnet.org) or call (612) 696-1975
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